Indochina tigers, an endangered species
In the world, there are six subspecies of tigers still living in the wild. One of them, Panthera tigris corbetti or Indochina tiger, is native to the tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia.
Discovered in 1968, populations once lived in countries such as China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Over time, they disappeared from most of their range.
Classified as an “endangered” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is subject to poaching (trafficking for traditional medicine, skins, bones), loss of its habitat and even lack of prey.
While it is possible to find a few individuals in Myanmar, Cambodia or Laos, it is in Thailand that you have the best chance of observing an Indochina tiger. Indeed, this country saw the populations of Indochina tigers more than triple between 2007 and 2023, explains CNN.
Tigers captured… for their survival
The populations live in forest complexes such as the Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM), which represents the main stronghold of the Indochina tiger, and the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex (DPKY-FC). The latter has also put in place a new strategy to save the species.
Indeed, the staff of the complex, in collaboration with conservationists and the Department of National Parks, Fauna and Flora of Thailand and Panthera, placed a trap in the forest to capture individuals of this subspecies.
The reason? Equipping them with non-harmful GPS collars to understand why the population of tigers within the complex is not increasing, unlike those living in the Western Forest Complex.
“Through camera traps we get primary data — how many of them are here and there. But we want deeper data, to know the ecology of tigers: how they disperse, how they live, how and what they eat,” said Rattapan Pattanarangsan, head of conservation programs at the Panthera Thailand association, in comments reported by
CNN.
Surprising revelations about their diet
The DPKY-FC team selected three tigers to test the collars:
an adult male, Srikosa, as well as two young females, Chantra and Pianporn, who are sisters.
According to the American media, these necklaces have a minimal weight and have a battery life of up to two years. They record coordinates every hour, transmitted by satellite and the data is also stored on an integrated hard drive, to provide the possibility of downloading them later, when transmission cannot be carried out.
The device, installed in early 2025, made it possible to trace the territory of each tiger, its movement habits and the places where it had killed its prey. This is the last point that surprised the people in charge of this project.
Indeed, they discovered that the three tigers feed on small mammals such as wild boars and muntjacs, some of which weigh only 10 kilograms. They also sometimes consume soft-shelled turtles and monitor lizards, a species of lizard.
Prey far from large animals such as the banteng, gaur or sambar deer, which can reach up to 350 kg and which usually constitute the diet of tigers.
The forest complex plans to work with a wildlife crime expert to analyze threats to tigers, including poaching and habitat fragmentation from infrastructure like Highway 304 and a proposed dam, which could make it easier for hunters to access, says
CNN.
Source: CNN
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
